This study explores domestic water use in the rural areas of Santiago de Cali and Restrepo, Colombia, focusing on the application of the Values, Beliefs, and Norms (VBN) theory to understand individual water use behaviours. Recognizing the critical importance of water as a fundamental resource, the research addresses the complexities of water management, particularly in the context of increasing demand and inconsistent availability. The study seeks to fill gaps in traditional water use research by incorporating psychological factors and decision-making frameworks, aiming to contribute to the broader field of water management. Utilizing data from 926 households, the study employs a multi-linear regression analysis to examine the relationships between socio-economic factors (SEC) and VBN psychological factors with three dependent variables: perceived total water use, shower time, and the use of watersaving devices. The analysis identified significant predictors of water use behaviour, with VBN factors providing additional explanatory power beyond that of socioeconomic variables. Specifically, VBN factors accounted for an additional 2% of the variance in total water use, 3.3% in shower time, and 4% in the use of water-saving devices. Values, particularly biospheric and altruistic, were the most consistent contributors to water-saving behaviours, while beliefs had minimal impact. The findings highlight the importance of promoting biospheric and altruistic values, as well as reinforcing personal norms related to water conservation, in encouraging sustainable water use behaviours. Educational campaigns that emphasize the moral responsibility to conserve water and the community benefits of sustainable water use are likely to be effective, particularly in rural areas. The study also notes that individuals with strong egoistic values, such as a desire for unlimited water supply, are less inclined to adopt water-saving behaviours, suggesting the need for targeted interventions that connect personal benefits with conservation efforts. In conclusion, while the VBN framework provides valuable insights into specific water use behaviours, its overall impact on total domestic water use is moderated by contextual and socioeconomic factors. Future research should continue to explore these dynamics, with an emphasis on developing tailored interventions that address both the psychological and contextual determinants of water use behaviour. This approach can help policymakers and environmental educators foster more sustainable domestic water use, particularly in rural areas where such factors play a significant role.

This project is a consulting project for Community Cloud Forest Conservation (CCFC) on how to obtain and communicate to relevant stakeholders an understanding of the impact of land use change and climate change on the hydrological balance of the cloud forest ecosystem in the Sierra Yalijux. The outcomes of the project will be used by CCFC and partners in four areas: Rural water committee capacity building with municipal and village leadership groups, environmental education with the ministry of education, reforestation, and conservation carbon/water credit prioritization with the national forestry institute, and to create thesis topics for bachelors level students with Universidad Rafael Landívar and Universidad de San Carlos. In order to achieve this goal, we divided our efforts in four areas: First, a description of the situation and a review of literature to identify gaps in scientific and practical understanding of local cloud forest hydrology (Chapter 2). Second, an analysis of the situation at a regional scale using publicly available historical data such as remote sensing data and data from the national meteorological authority (Chapter 3). Third, identifying important hydrological processes in the Cloud Forest micro-climate (Chapter 4) and prototyping and testing measurement setups (Chapter 5). Fourth, making suggestions on how to apply the results to the intended impact areas that CCFC has (Chapter 6). Our recommendations to CCFC for capacity building with water committees are based on a literature re view, we found that the presence of Cloud Forest is expected to increase base flow in springs due to its ability to capture additional hydrological inputs in the dry season, increase moisture recycling after heavy rain events, and store water in the soil. We recommend working with water committees to outline the recharge zones of their springs, run some simple calculations on water availability based on precipitation, and develop manage ment plans for the area. Our recommendations for further research are based on the research approaches we describe at the regional scale and the prototyping of field methodologies that we tested. A more permanent setup for data collection is being developed jointly with the Universidad de San Carlos at CCFC’s nature preserve.